Abstract

Background

Many enzymes of industrial interest are not in the market since they are bio-produced
as bacterial inclusion bodies, believed to be biologically inert aggregates of insoluble
protein.

Results

By using two structurally and functionally different model enzymes and two fluorescent
proteins we show that physiological aggregation in bacteria might only result in a
moderate loss of biological activity and that inclusion bodies can be used in reaction
mixtures for efficient catalysis.

Conclusion

This observation offers promising possibilities for the exploration of inclusion bodies
as catalysts for industrial purposes, without any previous protein-refolding step.